Virtually Back to School: Parents and IEPs
Does your child have an IEP? This week we’re helping parents navigate remote learning this semester! Read on to find out how Present Pal can help #UDL #IEP #Accessibility #RemoteLearning
Image: Remote Learning
This week, we’re here to support all parents with the transition to online/hybrid learning.
The uncharted territory of learning completely online can leave a lot of parents in the dark. Teachers are busy preparing for a fall semester that, in some cases, might be completely online and school districts are understandably preoccupied with the rapidly changing situation. For you as parents, there’s a lot to contend with, so our aim is to help you navigate the new school year with some helpful tips and resources to help your children get the most out of online learning.
There are, of course, benefits and drawbacks to learning remotely.
For example, children with anxiety may feel more comfortable learning in their home environment. However, interacting online can cause other anxieties to come to the surface too, particularly when presenting or reading social cues. We know that face-to-face learning is really important for developing recognition of social cues as well as engaging students in physical tasks.
With completely online curricula, some parents are still considering how to teach their children, particularly children with special needs. Even tutors who are well versed in teaching online have said helping students with additional needs online ‘is not easy, we’re seeing a big learning curve.’ There’s lots of uncertainty surrounding what’s happening with IEPs this year, whether there’s any legislation regarding their implementation, and what parents can do to help their child.
Image: Scales and IEP logo on laptop screen
Read on to find out what’s going on with IEPs, and how you can advocate for your child.
4.6% of all American children K-12 have IEPs, one of the big questions that has stemmed from the pandemic is how students’ accommodations will be provided remotely. The answer is, it varies from state to state, and even district to district.
It can be really difficult to know where to look for help or support on this, luckily there are loads of online groups such as the IEP/504 Parent Resource Platform which can help guide you in the right direction. It’s a space for parents to share as much or as little of their experience as they’d like. It also includes bespoke resources, such as data sheets, to track your child’s progress in online learning. To explore this space and access your own data sheet, join here.
Tips from the experts
Image: Selene Almazan quote
Selene Almazan from the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) said: ‘We are encouraging families to document where their child is as far as skill level, either through video or through data sheets, that kind of stuff so that when the pandemic closures are over they can see whether or not there's been any regression in skills for students.’
However, this still leaves a lot of the onus on families to figure out their child’s accommodations; something that would usually be handled by support tutors, Speech Language Pathologists or other special educators in a face to face learning environment.
Experts are advising that parents should pursue their child’s IEP arrangements as they normally would. This can put extra pressure on parents. However, in terms of the legality of this, Denise Marshall, also from COPAA, advises: “I think that’s where people get lost, they think that COVID changes things and under the law, it does not”.
If your child has an IEP, how can you help them progress their skills?
Many schools are setting remote tasks that’ll have to be handled slightly differently in an online setting. Like we mentioned earlier, online learning can bring up a whole host of other anxieties, and perhaps your child might be expected to submit quizzes assigned by the teacher or send in videos of themselves practicing their spelling or a speech.
If you’re at a loss for how to help your child with this, at Present Pal we’ve created a presentation support software that acts as a reasonable accommodation for students with IEPs. It can be used remotely, from any location, and we want to level the playing field for this new way of learning. If your child has an IEP for dyslexia or other specific learning differences, features of the app such as line-by-line magnification can help them master the art of breaking down information during these practice tasks before having to do the real thing! Take a look at our video below to find out more.
Have you thought about accommodations for presentations?
As you can see, with Present Pal as an accommodation on your child’s IEP, they can craft presentation notes in the form of interactive flashcards, creating bullet points using key trigger words instead of writing out lengthy scripts on paper! By adding a ‘safety net’ prompt to the bullet point your child can access images and additional text which helps them to elaborate on their point if they need to.
If presentations are on your child’s syllabus, Present Pal can help provide a solution at home.
We care about helping students deliver their best when presenting, and more importantly, feel confident about doing so. Students can also use Present Pal to present in smaller zoom rooms or Google Meets with their peers, giving them that personal connection that’s really important for mental health. A key part of successful remote learning is social contact and confidence too!
Image: GIF, using Present Pal remotely
We hope the rest of the semester goes smoothly and that this post has sparked some inspiration for learning online. Continuing to support each other during this time is essential; the world of IEPs/504s is complicated anyway, on top of experts’ advice, joining some of the Facebook and parent advocacy groups provides a fantastic source of informal support. Equity and wellbeing are really important to us, so if you want to find out how your child can get Present Pal, then feel free to drop us a line on info@presentpal.co.uk or contact us via our Facebook page.
Remote learning series
Wondering how to navigate presentations in a remote setting? 🤨 Check out our new remote learning blog series! This week our tips are for #Educators navigating the remote classroom! #UDL #RemoteLearning
Image: Remote Learning
Welcome to the first blog of our remote learning blog series!
In this blog we are focusing on tackling presentations in a remote environment. This year, learning has been completely transformed. Both teachers and students have shown a huge amount of resilience in adapting to online teaching, and the choice of additional tools needed to level the playing field is huge. Looking towards the fall semester, US schools from K-12 are still considering how teaching and learning will take place in a virtual setting, and for many presentations are still on the curriculum.
So, how do we make sure we can use tech for good and level the playing field while teaching remotely?
Now that educators are getting more familiar with remote teaching, we wanted to share some cool ideas for getting the most out of your online time with students, while making lessons accessible for everyone. At Present Pal, we want to show you how the app can be a fantastic tool for your students while encompassing UDL principles.
UDL is the key to equity in education, both in the classroom and online.
83% of school superintendents said that providing special education services was difficult to provide equitably during remote learning
Adapting to technology has been a huge change for many educators since the beginning of the pandemic. One parent, whose son Joseph has ADHD and Aspergers, reported that he would not be able to complete the work on his own and he would never log back on to the remote service the school used as: “It required executive functioning skills that Joe doesn’t quite have.”
Image: A teenager using a laptop sitting at a desk
Apps can support online learning
This is a situation familiar to many teachers and parents since remote learning became the norm, how do we ensure all students, including those with disabilities, can engage with online learning?
By being more flexible with the delivery of the material this can make life a lot easier for students with learning differences. Technology like Present Pal, gives students the ability to personalise the app and to create your flashcard notes and the ability to practice your presentation helps immensely with this.
A major dilemma for some teachers is how to balance synchronous learning with asynchronous learning.
For students with information processing or reading difficulties, uploading class recordings online gives students the opportunity to revisit and fill in any gaps from previous lessons. Present Pal can help you support this equity too, through features like audio recording and note creation, the app can be used in real time to present as well as a way to personally review rehearsals of presentations. Using the app’s rehearsal audio recording feature, teachers can encourage students to practice presentations online without the anxiety of a face-to-face run through. You can see more of Present Pal’s features here.
There’s a lot to consider when picking the ideal video conferencing tool.
Curbing this new form of online anxiety can be done with the use of Present Pal in Zoom rooms, or smaller Google Meet, where students can present to each other using their accessible notes on Present Pal in small groups to nail their presentations. There’s a lot to consider when picking the ideal video conferencing tool, but for accessibility, Google Meet or Microsoft Teams proves popular due to the ability to turn on captions. For Present Pal too, our PowerPoint add-in can integrate seamlessly for schools that use MS365, making presentations online that bit easier and more accessible.
Image: Question marks above Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Google Meet logos
We’d love to hear more about your experience moving to remote learning and teaching. If you want to learn more about how we can support you and your students with presentations then get in touch via email here.
Stay tuned for more remote learning content on the blog next week, see you soon!
Note Creation: Everything You Need to Know
Present Pal has come a long way from Chris’ original creation to combat presentation anxiety. Developed due to a real-life challenge he experienced at university for which there was no support available, the app is continuing to help individuals create, rehearse and present. Our team has grown and so has the app! The Present Pal team are delighted to offer you ‘Present Pal 3.0’ which is now available on the App Store and Google Play.
Present Pal has come a long way from Chris’ original creation to combat presentation anxiety. Developed due to a real-life challenge he experienced at university for which there was no support available, the app is continuing to help individuals create, rehearse and present with confidence.
We’re delighted to share the latest version of the app with you, which is now available on the App Store and Google Play.
On top of this, we are beyond excited to debut Present Pal’s latest feature...note creation! You’re probably already familiar with our PowerPoint add-in, where you can access notes and control the slides on your laptop from the Present Pal app itself. The new update goes one step further:
No need for any additional software or link and with the new Present Pal PowerPoint add-in.
You can create and edit your notes from any device, anywhere.
The cloud enables the safe transfer of notes from hand-held devices to desktop devices, and vice-versa, through the add-in.
Works in tandem with other assistive technology.
We’re always looking to evolve and have several exciting projects which we can’t wait to share with you. We want to continue to help you master your presentations and do it with confidence! The new PowerPoint add-in couldn’t be easier to set-up, simply update your existing Present Pal app, and install the new add-in from the Microsoft Office store, which you can access here.
For additional support, you can always visit our Present Pal PowerPoint Add-in support page. You can also find our super helpful tutorial videos here.
Don’t forget to update your existing version of Present Pal and leave us a rating or review if you are enjoying using the app! We’d love to hear what you think of Present Pal’s update and your ideas for future versions.
If you’d like to personally get in touch with feature suggestions or to make a comment on an existing feature - we’d love to hear from you! Get in touch via email at info@presentpal.co.uk or reach us through our contact form.
Why we've been named one of 'Glasgow's coolest tech startups'
Estendio has recently been named as one of ‘Glasgow’s coolest tech startups’ by DIGIT and we’re thrilled to be listed amongst some of Scotland’s most exciting tech companies. We want to share all of our recent ventures and achievements with you in this blog (and a bit about why we also think that what we’re doing is pretty damn cool!)
Estendio has recently been named as one of ‘Glasgow’s coolest tech startups’ by DIGIT and we’re thrilled to be listed amongst some of Scotland’s most exciting tech companies.
We want to share all of our recent ventures and achievements with you in this blog (and a bit about why we also think that what we’re doing is pretty damn cool!)
EIE 2019
From mid-January until the end of April, Estendio had the absolute pleasure of taking part in EIE 2019 - Scotland’s premier technology investor showcase. From workshops on presentation skills to investor readiness sessions, our CEO Chris was equipped with all the tools to deliver a show-stopping spotlight pitch at the final event on 24th April - and that he did! Situated in Edinburgh’s stunning McEwan Hall, the team had an amazing time speaking with investors, engaging with the cohort and demonstrating our software Present Pal.
IMAGE: Chris Hughes pitching on stage at McEwan Hall for EIE 2019.
Although the event itself was an outstanding highlight, it’s important for those considering applying for EIE to understand the real benefits of the run-up to the showcase. The support and upskilling that the EIE programme provides has been invaluable for our company, allowing us to construct a firm ‘ask’ and flourishing our team’s confidence. What’s more is that we were surrounded by an exceptional group of talented entrepreneurs, and we can’t thank our friends at R3-IoT, Gigly and Amiqus enough for making the experience even more terrific.
IMAGE: Chris Hughes being interviewed at EIE 2019 in front of our Present Pal stall.
The event was followed by an exceptional dinner at the National Museum of Scotland and we want to extend a huge thank you to Johnston Carmichael for having us as one of their guests - we had a fantastic night! We would especially like to thank Kirsty Irvine, Shaun Millican and Andrew Holloway for their continued support, advice and friendship.
We were thrilled to take part in EIE alongside Scotland’s pioneering tech startups. The magnificent work of Danny Helston, Ronnie Johnston, Jane Kennedy and the rest of the team at Informatics Ventures is unmatched and we can’t wait for EIE 2020!
IMAGE: Project SEARCH logo
Project SEARCH
Since demonstrating Present Pal at an assistive tech conference in March, we have been working with Project SEARCH to assist young people with disabilities in their journey to securing full-time employment. Project SEARCH is a one year transition programme which provides employability training and education for individuals with disabilities, with over 300 locations worldwide. The programme provides excellent opportunities for young adults, and so we were delighted to be asked to play a part in this process!
We were invited along to the Edinburgh based classroom to gain an insight into Project SEARCH’s work and to meet the participants of the programme. We were greeted by a group of ambitious, kind and inquisitive young people and we were so impressed by the group’s eagerness.
The learning objectives of the class were based around working memory processes, whereby the students had to complete multiple activities to examine their memory skills. Students were tested on their memory skills and then had to complete practise interview questions using the ‘STAR technique’. Liam (Project SEARCH’s fantastic tutor) decided to give the student with the weakest memory a tablet with the Present Pal App open. She was instructed to use Present Pal to type out her answer, and then was asked to recall her answer after practising for a short while. On the other hand, the student who scored the best on the memory tests was also told to prepare a STAR answer (without the use of Present Pal).
IMAGE: Project SEARCH banner at Edinburgh’s classroom. Banner reads “Supporting people with disabilities who want to work full-time”.
We were stunned by the difference between the two students. The student using Present Pal was able to recall her answer clearly and confidently, allowing her to work on other techniques such as body language and audience engagement. However, the student who didn’t use Present Pal struggled to recall his prepared answer, which he found very frustrating and affected his overall performance.
It was fantastic for us to experience the real difference that Present Pal was able to provide, as we had never imagined that our presentation support software could serve as an interview preparation technique! We were delighted to discover another brilliant use of Present Pal and experience first-hand how our software is helping to support and train people’s working memory. Pretty cool - right?!
We are excited to see how our partnership with Project SEARCH unfolds and hopefully discover even more ways that we can help these brilliant young people to secure employment. Thanks for having us, guys!
Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2019
Our participation in the Microsoft AI for Accessibility programme has allowed us to meet incredible people and more importantly, has exposed us to many diverse and incredible stories. Chris was honoured to be invited down to the Microsoft Campus in Reading on the 16th May 2019 for Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) to share his story of why he created Present Pal and what we’re doing to support people with disabilities.
IMAGE: Chris Hughes presenting at Microsoft’s #GAAD with PowerPoint slides and closed captions displayed on a TV screen.
Joined by speakers from AbilityNet, John Lewis, RNIB and many more pioneering organisations, Chris had an extraordinary day learning from and meeting accessibility evangelists. Chris was amazed by all of the incredible accessibility orientated work that was shared across the day, including an uplifting story from Jo-Ann Moran as she shared her experience of Usher Syndrome. A massive thank you to Steven Woodgate for organising such a fantastic day.
Taking part in inclusive design events really motivate us to ensure that Present Pal can support the needs of everyone, and we can’t wait to share the amazing new features we have planned for Summer 2019. If you want to gain exclusive access to our feature reveal webinar series, please register your interest via the form below.
WE’RE HIRING
Estendio is now doubling the size of its team - check out our new roles for Summer 2019!
Creating a Culture of Inclusion
Think of your workplace and your colleagues that surround you. Are there different gender identities, different ethnicities, different backgrounds, ages, nationalities? Do you have any colleagues who are neurodiverse? Are any of your colleagues disabled? If the answers to these questions are predominantly ‘no’, then you may be questioning your organisation’s culture of inclusion.
A Culture of Inclusion, Diversity and Equality
Think of your workplace and your colleagues that surround you. Are there different gender identities, different ethnicities, different backgrounds, ages, nationalities? Do you have any colleagues who are neurodiverse? Are any of your colleagues disabled? If the answers to these questions are predominantly ‘no’, then you may be questioning your organisation’s culture of inclusion.
IMAGE: Green jigsaw puzzle and purple jigsaw puzzle fitting together.
It’s no secret that a large portion of businesses suffer from a lack of diversity, in turn failing to create an inclusive workplace. Yet, bringing unique perspectives, experience and capabilities into the workplace brings about invaluable advantages for innovation and growth. For example, “neurodiverse people are wired differently from “neurotypical” people” and so they are likely to contribute unique, ‘outside of the box’ ideas.
To enable diversity and inclusion in the workplace, employers need to consider expanding job opportunities for people with disabilities and Specific Learning Differences (SpLDs). However, this problem lies deeper than simply recruiting diverse people, as recent statistics have shown that retention rates and job progression are significantly lower for individuals with disabilities and/or SpLDs.
The Problem
Despite the apparent advantages of diversity and inclusion for employers, major problems still exist in regard to disabled people’s unemployment and retention rate. Generally speaking, disabled people struggle to get into work and once they are successful, they find it difficult to progress or even remain in a job. But why is this the case?
CHART: 42.8% disabled people in employment and 80.2% of non-disabled people in employment.
The Scottish Government published the ‘Disabled People: Employment Action Plan’ which revealed some frightful statistics surrounding the lack of inclusive practices from Scottish employers. For example, only 42.8% of disabled people are employed, compared to 80.2% of non-disabled people. These statistics uncover a 37.4% rate change between disabled and non-disabled individuals, clearly exemplifying a large inequality between the two groups. Furthermore, the report stated that ‘disabled people with a degree are less likely to be employed than non-disabled people without a degree’.
With 1 in 5 working age people in Scotland being disabled, accessibility must be at the forefront for employers. Whether it’s with regards to recruitment processes or providing adequate support during employment to reduce dropout rates, workplace inclusivity should be considered during every decision making process. As it stands right now, disabled people are clearly not receiving this level of attention and support, as many find it hard to progress in work and are ‘almost twice as likely to fall out of work as non-disabled people’.
It’s dreadful to think that everyday tasks in the workplace such as distributing a recruitment ad can inadvertently exclude people. Although a discrimination is not always intended, without considering accessibility requirements and neurodiversity, inequalities in the workplace will continue to exist.
How can we make a change?
Alongside making colleagues aware of funded support available (such as Access to Work), let’s think about changing up the recruitment processes that are widely used by employers (because they can inherently exclude neurodiverse people and people with disabilities). For example, individuals with autism tend to under-perform in an interview setting because of their lack of social communication skills. Avoiding eye contact and misinterpreting tone of voice are to name but a few. With around 700,000 autistic people in the UK, it is evident that when designing recruitment processes, situations like this have to be taken into consideration. In the UK, only 16% of autistic adults are in full-time paid employment. So how can we do something about this?
Microsoft and Accessibility
Chris speaking alongside Hector Minto at a Microsoft Partners event on Accessibility
Let’s look to Microsoft as a case study. Microsoft believes accessibility and inclusion are essential to delivering their mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. They have their own ‘CAO’ Jenny Lay-Flurrie, Accessibility Evangelists such as Hector Minto, they’ve released exceptional inclusive tools including the Xbox adaptive controller and the Code Jumper to assist blind children with coding and they have specific programmes in place to provoke other businesses to think about accessibility - including the AI for Accessibility programme which Present Pal is delighted to be a part of.
Microsoft also have a unique hiring programme for individuals with autism, as it has been found that despite social awkwardness, some “possess exceptional skills in areas such as science, mathematics or technology.” This programme has allowed people like Kyle Schwaneke to pursue a career in technology due to the unique hiring process “It’s not a do-or-die phone screen or a several-hour, in-person interview, but rather an academy of sorts – a combination workshop and interview to help put job candidates at ease (and therefore let them more fully demonstrate their skills).” For those who are successful, Microsoft also deliver an ‘Autism in the workplace’ training programme and provide multiple mentors to support the employee as they build their career at Microsoft.
Here at Estendio, we aspire to adopt these accessible practices as our company grows. We’ve signed the Disability Confident employer pledge so that when we do come to make our first hire, we can do it with inclusivity in mind. Sign the pledge now.
Fairer Work Scotland
The Scottish Government have put plans into place to reduce these inequalities and work towards ensuring that inclusivity and accessibility are paramount responsibilities for employers. For example, fighting for the devolution of ‘Access to Work’ - a UK government initiative which provides reasonable adjustments for workers with physical or mental health conditions. This programme has been deemed ‘the government’s best kept secret’ as only 27,000 people are claiming out of an eligible 3.9 million. There are also plans in place for an ambassador scheme which showcases successful applicants by allowing them to demonstrate the benefits and transfer their knowledge of the process to eligible colleagues. This is incredibly important to ensure that people recognise and are aware of the potential support available to them, whether it’s travel requirements, physical assistance or special aids and equipment (including accessible technologies like Present Pal!)
These positive strategic plans are extremely reassuring, but we have to keep in mind that we as individuals can take small steps towards diversity and inclusion. Whether it’s having a one-to-one chat with a colleague about their need for support, or if it’s lobbying the government to support parents with dyslexia, we can all contribute.
Present Pal assists people to ensure that they feel more confident and prepared when communicating to their peers and is especially useful for individuals with dyslexia. If you want to get in touch to find out how you can make your workplace more accessible, contact us.
If you want to find out whether your eligible for AtW or how to apply, check out this great resource from DnA.
2018 - That's a Wrap!
2018 has been Estendio’s best year yet - from launching an MVP product in January to announcing a partnership with Microsoft in December, we’re all incredibly proud of how much we’ve achieved. We want to give you all a little insight into what we’ve been up to these past 12 months and the hugely exciting plans we have for 2019. So pour yourself a wee glass of mulled wine and take a peek into our 2018 highlights!
2018 has been Estendio’s best year yet - from launching an MVP product in January to announcing a partnership with Microsoft in December, we’re all incredibly proud of how much we’ve achieved. We want to give you all a little insight into what we’ve been up to these past 12 months and the hugely exciting plans we have for 2019. So pour yourself a wee glass of mulled wine and take a peek into our 2018 highlights!
Chris was invited to the BBC’s Global Accessibility Awareness Day to demo Present Pal.
2018 HIGHLIGHTS
2018 was off to a flying start when we launched Present Pal MVP to the Disabled Students Allowance market (DSA). We made our first ever DSA sale in January and Chris spent the following few months touring university disability services and needs assessment centres to spread the word about Present Pal. By giving out free licenses to all needs assessors and AT trainers, we were able to build our daily active users and gain valuable feedback on the App. In order to improve and enhance the App in response to the feedback, we raised £60,000 of investment to prepare Present Pal for the September 2018 hard launch.
By June, Estendio added two summer interns to the team to support the launch preparation. Sana and Leah devised a marketing strategy and helped Ruairidh to design the new UX for Present Pal. Our software developer Iain worked extremely hard to ensure that the team’s vision came to life in time for the launch, whilst CEO Chris continued to spread brand awareness by touring UK universities and taking part in accessibility conferences.
3…2…1…LAUNCH!
It wasn’t long before September crept up on us and it was time to officially launch Present Pal. On the 6th of September, Present Pal went live on the App Store and Google Play Store and we launched our website’s payment portal. This meant that all existing DSA users could receive a free update of the App and that non-DSA customers could start a 30 day free trial to try out Present Pal. Our launch exceeded our expectations and we are delighted to say that we are now supporting students in over 50 UK universities.
Existing Present Pal users including University of Oxford and University of St Andrews.
Leah pitching on behalf of Estendio at the WES Investor Day.
Our success continued into October, where Present Pal was shortlisted as one of the top 3 companies in the FutureX Global Startup Summit 2018 final. Estendio also added two new directors; Margaret Coughtrie and Iain Landsburgh.
November saw Estendio turn 4 years old and we were fast-tracked to ‘Account Managed’ status by Scottish Enterprise.
Leah also had the opportunity in November to pitch for investment at Women Enterprise Scotland’s Investor Day amongst 19 inspirational, entrepreneurial women.
A DAZZLING DECEMBER
It seems that in the final month of 2018 we really hit the fast-forward button, with ground-breaking successes…
The 3rd of December was the UN’s International Persons with Disabilities Day and to celebrate, we released the great news that we have begun a partnership with Microsoft through their AI for Accessibility programme. AI for Accessibility is Microsoft’s $25 million 5-year programme aimed at harnessing the power of AI to amplify human capability for the more than one billion people around the world with disabilities. Through grants, technology, and AI expertise, the programme will allow Present Pal to build a new data-driven feature which instinctively prompts presenters in times of distress. The news was received brilliantly and was amplified thanks to the help of the Microsoft News Centre - we even got a tweet from Microsoft’s CAO Jenny Lay-Flurrie!!!
Just two days after our Microsoft announcement, Chris hit the stage at RBS Gogarburn to pitch in the Scottish Edge final. We were delighted to be shortlisted as one of the 39 finalists from an original 280+ applications. Chris did an excellent job of answering difficult questions from the panel, and so no matter the outcome, we were all incredibly proud! After the pitch, we had a 37 hour wait (we weren’t counting, of course) to hear our fate. On the Thursday night, we were ecstatic to be called onto the stage and receive a massive Edge Award of £50,000!
The Edge 13 Winners on stage at RBS Gogarburn
As if the December successes of Microsoft and Edge weren’t enough, we recently received the wonderful news that we have been selected as part of the EIE 2019 process. EIE showcases Scotland´s most promising innovative, data-driven high growth companies and will allow us to gain the exposure needed for raising finance and brand awareness of Present Pal. Join us on the 24 April 2019!
THAT’S A WRAP!
Thanks to everyone who has made this year the best one yet. To think that Chris started 2018 as the only full-time employee and there are now 4 of us is unbelievable! We want to extend a massive thank you to our outstanding board, SEN Strathclyde, Gabriel Investments, Scottish Edge, Scottish Enterprise and Tontine Glasgow.
We’re looking forward to returning in January for an exciting year ahead; getting started on our Microsoft AI4A project, expanding our team, planning our Edge spending, participating in EIE and continuing to ensure that students with disabilities across the UK can receive our software for free!
Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for 2019!
Present Pal Team
Present Pal receives AI for Accessibility Grant from Microsoft
To celebrate the UN’s International Day of Disabled Persons 2018, we’re excited to announce that we’ve been selected to be a part of Microsoft’s AI for Accessibility Programme!
Present Pal has been awarded an AI for Accessibility grant from Microsoft to help further our efforts in ensuring that everyone, despite their individual abilities, has the equal opportunity to communicate effectively in education and the workplace.
Present Pal receives Microsoft AI4A Grant
The Present Pal team are so excited to officially announce that we have been selected as one of the first grantees in the Microsoft AI for Accessibility programme!
We received the news at the end of October and are delighted that we can finally share the details of our upcoming partnership with Microsoft.
Microsoft’s AI for Accessibility
Microsoft’s AI for Accessibility programme is a $25 million 5-year programme aimed at harnessing the power of AI to amplify human capability for the more than one billion people around the world with disabilities. The programme is focusing specifically on AI solutions in 3 areas; Employment, Daily Life and Communication & Connection.
IMAGE: ‘Amplifying human capability: technology, knowledge and partnership.’
Present Pal and AI4A
Present Pal has been offered funding due to our commitment to improving the speed, accuracy, and convenience of communication for people with disabilities.
GIF: Entering Present Pal notes via keyboard and speech-to-text
Being part of the AI4A programme will allow Present Pal to access Microsoft’s AI tools and Azure services, enabling us to build an exciting data-driven feature which instinctively prompts presenters in times of distress. Alongside our existing dyslexia friendly features, Present Pal will not only help to enhance the communication skills of people with learning differences, but also those with visual impairments.
Using the AI4A funding, Present Pal will integrate Microsoft’s Speech APIs into the existing App. This will compare practice recordings of presentations against real-time speech, enabling the software to recognise when a presenter is struggling to recall information. For example, AI-powered audio prompts will be sent to the presenter and visual pop ups will be enabled if the speaker is stuttering or hesitating when attempting to communicate.
VIDEO: ‘Present Pal by Estendio (Audio Description)’
IMAGE: CEO Chris holding tablet with Present Pal
“Technology has such an important role to play in ensuring that people with disabilities are empowered to communicate effortlessly. The usage of AI/machine learning within Present Pal will allow us to really understand the needs and behaviour of presenters, providing the data to assist and enhance communication skills in the terrifying moments of presenting to your peers. ”
We are extremely looking forward to beginning this year long project with Microsoft and can’t wait to help enhance the lives of people with disabilities!
To find out more about the AI4A programme’s goals and how to apply, visit: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/ai-for-accessibility